Sheila Jackson Lee: “As a former member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Senior Member of the House Judiciary Committee; I rise in…”

“As a former member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Senior Member of the House Judiciary Committee; I rise in support of H.R. 5732, the ``Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act of 2016.'' The situation in Syria is truly appalling, innocent civilians are subject to the Assad's brutality. Over 14 million Syrians have become refugees or have been internally displaced over the last five years. The Syrian transition and its future leadership are likely to depend on what the United States and its partners do now to save the lives of innocent Syrians. I am pleased to join in co-sponsoring this legislation that will hinder the Assad's access to resources it uses to harm its people. This bill is named in honor of the courageous former Syrian military photographer, known as ``Caesar,'' who testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee in 2014 about the Assad regime's torture of Syrian civilians. H.R. 5732 will help halt the slaughter of the Syrian people, encourage a negotiated political settlement, and hold Syrian human rights abusers accountable for their crimes. H.R. 5732 requires the President to report to Congress the persons responsible for, or complicit in, gross violations of human rights of the Syrian people. This process will name and shame the violator of these human rights. H.R.…”